Starbucks Adds Alcohol To More Store Locations

Starbucks Corp is looking for a way to pick up sluggish sales by selling alcohol in the afternoon at more store locations for those people who are wired up for happy hour.

Based out of Seattle the coffee company had already started selling wine from Pacific coast vineyards in one Seattle store in 2010, that had expanded to 6 Northwest locations since.

Now the company plans on expanding its alcohol choices and locations to beef up slow afternoon revenue.

Starbucks reports that by the end of this year 25 locations, that include “carefully selected” stores in Southern California, Atlanta, Chicago and other cities, will begin serving beer as well as wine.

Company VP of US operations, Clarice Turner, said that the stores selected to begin alcohol sales are larger businesses that have more seating. And in addition, to go along with wine sales they will roll out a menu to include fruit and cheese plates.

For those wondering if the alcohol sales will eventually expand to all locations amongst the 12,500+ US stores, Turner states, “It won’t be at every Starbucks store ever.”

Beer at the current 6 locations sells for $5 and wine sells for $7 to $9 a glass.

Internationally Starbucks is the worlds largest coffee chain, with 18,887 locations in 55 countries, and currently one franchise aboard a cruise ship.